the　room　with　a　sweeping　gesture。　　〃And　he　brings　the　most　cheering
  news。　　They　are　going　to　win！〃
  〃But　how　delightful！〃　exclaimed　Adrien　coming　from　the　piano　where
  she　had　been　playing；　with　Rupert　Stillwell　turning　her　music　for
  her。
  〃I　suppose　upon　the　best　authority；〃　said　Stillwell；　grinning　at
  Patricia。
  〃We　are　so　glad　you　found　time　to　run　in；〃　said　Mrs。　Templeton。
  〃You　must　have　a　great　deal　to　say　to　your　team　on　the　last
  afternoon。〃
  〃I'm　glad　I　came　too；　now；〃　said　Captain　Jack；　holding　the　fragile
  hand　in　his　and　patting　it　gently。　　〃I　am　afraid　Patricia　is
  responsible　for　my　coming　in。　　I　don't　really　believe　I　could　have
  ventured　on　my　own。〃
  A　silence　fell　on　the　company　which　none　of　them　seemed　able　to
  break。　　Other　days　were　hard　upon　them。　　In　this　very　room　it　was
  that　that　other　seven　were　wont　to　meet　for　their　afternoon　tea
  before　their　great　matches。
  Mrs。　Templeton；　looking　up　at　Jack；　found　his　eyes　fixed　upon　her
  and　full　of　tears。　　With　a　swift　upward　reach　of　her　arms　she
  caught　him　and　drew　his　head　to　her　breast。
  〃I　know；　Jack　dear；〃　she　said；　with　lips　that　quivered　piteously。
  For　a　moment　or　two　he　knelt　before　her　while　she　held　him　in　a
  close　embrace。　　Then　he　gently　kissed　her　cheek　and　rose　to　his
  feet。
  〃Give　him　some　tea；　Adrien；〃　she　said；　making　a　gallant　struggle　to
  steady　her　voice；　〃a　cup　of　teaand　no　cake。　　I　remember；　you
  see；〃　she　added　with　a　tremulous　smile。
  Adrien　came　back　quickly　from　the　window。
  〃Yes！　a　fresh　cup！〃　she　cried　eagerly；　〃and　a　sandwich。　　You；　Pat；
  get　the　sandwiches。　　No　cake。　　We　must　do　nothing　to　imperil　the
  coming　victory。〃
  〃You　have　a　wonderful　team；　Jack；　I　hear；〃　said　her　mother。　　〃Come
  and　sit　here　beside　me　and　tell　me　about　them。　　Patricia　has　been
  keeping　me　informed；　but　she　is　not　very　coherent　at　times。　　Of
  course；　I　know　about　your　wonderful　goal　keeper　Findlay；　is　it
  not？〃　　And　the　gentle　little　lady　kept　a　stream　of　conversation
  going；　for　she　saw　how　deeply　moved　Maitland　was。　　It　was　his　first
  visit　to　the　Rectory　since　he　had　taken　up　the　game　again；　and　the
  rush　of　emotion　released　by　the　vivid　memory　of　those　old　happy
  days　when　that　jolly　group　of　boys　had　filled　this　familiar　room
  with　their　noisy　clatter　wellnigh　overcame　him。
  For　a　minute　or　two　he　fussed　with　the　tea　things　till　he　could
  master　his　voice；　then　he　said　very　quietly：
  〃They　are　very　decent　chapsreally　very　good　fellows　and　they　have
  taken　their　training　extraordinarily　well。　　Of　course；　Macnamara
  and　Johnson　were　in　my　old　company；　and　that　helps　a　lot。〃
  〃Yes；　I　remember　Macnamara　quite　well。　　He　is　a　fine　big　Irishman。〃
  〃Fancy　you　remembering　him；　Mrs。　Templeton；〃　said　Captain　Jack。
  〃Of　course；　I　remember　him。　　He　is　one　of　our　boys。〃
  〃Let's　see；　he　is　one　of　your　defence；　isn't　he？〃　said　Stillwell；
  who　had　felt　himself　rather　out　of　the　conversation。　　Maitland
  nodded。　　The　presence　of　Stillwell　in　that　room　introduced　a
  painful　element。　　Once　he　had　been　one　of　the　seven　and　though
  never　so　intimately　associated　with　the　Rectory　life　as　the　others；
  yet　at　all　team　gatherings　he　had　had　his　place。　　But　since　the　war
  Maitland　had　never　been　able　to　endure　his　presence　in　that　room。
  To…day；　with　the　memory　of　those　old　thrilling　days　pressing　hard
  upon　his　heart；　he　could　not　bear　to　look　upon　a　man；　once　one　of
  them；　now　forever　an　outsider。　　The　tea　coming　in　brought　to
  Maitland　relief。
  〃Ah；　here　you　are；〃　he　cried　anticipating　Stillwell　in　relieving
  Adrien　of　part　of　her　load。　　〃You　are　a　life　saver。　　Tea　is　the
  thing　for　this　hour。〃
  〃Three　lumps；　is　it　not？〃　said　the　girl；　smiling　at　him。　　〃You　see；
  I　remember；　though　you　really　don't　deserve　it。　　And　here　is　Pat
  with　the　sandwiches。〃
  〃Yes！　a　whole　plate　for　yourself；　Captain　Jack；〃　said　Patricia。
  〃Come　and　sit　by　me　here。〃
  〃No　indeed！〃　said　her　sister　with　a　bright　glow　on　her　cheeks。
  〃Jack　is　going　to　sit　right　here　by　the　tea…pot；　and　me；〃　she
  added；　throwing　him　a　swift　glance。
  〃No！　you　are　both　wrong；　children；〃　said　their　mother。　　〃Jack　is
  coming　to　sit　beside　me。　　He's　my　boy　this　afternoon。〃
  〃Mother；　we　will　all　share　him；〃　said　Patricia；　placing　chairs　near
  her　mother。　　〃I　must　talk　about　the　match；　I　simply　must。〃
  A　shadow　for　a　moment　wiped　the　brightness　from　the　face　and　eyes
  of　the　elder　sister；　but　yielding　to　her　mother's　appeal；　she
  joined　the　circle；　saying　to　Maitland；
  〃I　don't　believe　you　want　to　talk　about　the　match；　do　you？　　That　is
  not　supposed　to　be　good　psychology　before　a　match。　　What　you　really
  want　is　a　good　sleep。　　Isn't　that　right？〃
  〃He　has　just　sent　his　men　off　to　bed；　I　know；〃　said　Patricia；　〃and
  we　will　send　him　off　when　he　has　had　his　tea。〃
  〃I　am　so　glad　you　are　playing　again；〃　said　Mrs。　Templeton　to
  Maitland　as　he　sat　down　by　her　side。　　〃You　need　more　recreation
  than　you　have　been　taking；　I　believe。〃
  A　shadow　crossed　Maitland's　face。
  〃I　don't　believe　I　need　recreation　very　much；　but　these　chaps　of
  mine　do；〃　he　said　simply。
  〃The　workmen；　you　mean！〃
  〃Yes。　　They　lead　rather　a　dull　life；　you　know。　　Not　much　colour。　　A
  pool　room　on　the　whole　has　rather　a　rotten　effect　upon　a　chap　who
  has　been　nine　or　ten　hours　indoors　already　and　who　sticks　at　the
  same　thing　day　in　and　day　out　for　months　at　a　time。〃
  〃Ah；　I　see。　　You　mean　you　took　up　hockey　forahto　help〃
  〃Well；　I　don't　want　to　pose　as　a　workingman's　advocate　and　that
  sort　of　thing。　　But　really　he　has　a　slow　time。〃
  〃Then；　why　doesn't　he　get　busy　and　do　something　for　himself；〃　broke
  in　Stillwell；　impatiently。　　〃The　Lord　knows　he　is　getting　most　of
  the　money　these　days　and　has　more　spare　time　than　anyone　else　in
  the　community。〃
  But　Maitland　ignored　him；　till　Patricia　intervened。
  〃Tell　me　about　that；〃　she　demanded。
  〃Look　here！〃　said　her　sister。　　〃You　are　not　going　to　get　Jack　into
  a　labour　controversy　this　afternoon。　　But　I　would　just　like　to　ask
  you；　Pat；　how　keen　you'd　be　on　organising　and　conducting　a　Literary
  and　Debating　Society　after　you　had　put　in　not　five　and　a　half
  hours'　lessons；　but　eight　or　nine　hours'！　　It　would　take　some
  doing；　eh？　　But　let's　cut　out　the　labour　trouble。　　It　is　nearly
  time　for　his　sleep；　isn't　it？〃
  〃Is　it；　Captain　Jack？　　If　so；　we　won't　keep　you　a　minute；〃　said
  Patricia　anxiously。　　〃No；　mother！　you　must　not　keep　him。　　He　must
  be　on　tip…toe　to…night。〃
  Captain　Jack　rose。　　〃Patricia　would　make　an　ideal　trainer；〃　he
  said。　　〃I　fear　I　must　really　go。　　I　am　awfully　glad　to　have　come　in
  and　seen　you　all。　　Somehow　I　feel　a　whole　lot　better。〃
  〃And　so　do　we；　Jack；〃　said　the　old　lady　in　a　wistful　voice。　　〃Won't
  you　come　again　soon？〃
  Maitland　hesitated　a　moment；　glancing　at　Adrien。
  〃Oh；　do！〃　said　the　girl；　with　a　little　colour　coming　into　her　face。
  〃It　has　been　a　little　like　old　times　to　see　you　this　way。〃
  〃Yes；　hasn't　it？〃　said　Stillwell。　　〃Awfully　jolly。〃
  Maitland　stiffened　and　turned　again　to　the　old　lady　whose　eyes　were
  turned　on　him　with　sad　entreaty。
  〃Yes；　I　shall　come　to　see　you；〃　said　Maitland；　bowing　over　her　hand
  in　farewell。
  〃We　shall　expect　you　to　come　and　see　us　to…night　at　the　match；
  remember；　Captain　Jack；〃　said　Patricia；　as　he　passed　out　of　the
  room。　　〃Now　be　sure　to　go　and　have　your　sleep。〃
  But　there　was　no　sleep　that　afternoon　for　Captain　Jack。　　On　his　way
  through　the　town　he　was　halted　by　McNish。
  〃The　boys　want　to　see　you；〃　he　said　briefly。
  〃What　boys？　　What　do　you　mean；　McNish？〃
  〃At　the　rooms。　　Will　you　come　down　now？〃
  〃Now？　　I　can't　come　now；　McNish。　　I　have　to　be　on　the　ice　in　three
  hours　and　I　must　get　a　little　rest。　　What's　up；　anyway？　　Tell　them
  I'll　see　them　to…morrow。〃
  〃No！　they　want　you　now！〃　said　McNish　firmly。　　〃I　would　advise　that
  you　come。〃
  〃What　do　you　mean；　McNish？　　Well；　get　in　here　and　I'll　go　to　see
  them。〃　McNish　got　into　the　car。　　〃Now；　what's　all　the　mystery？〃
  〃Better　wait；〃　said　McNish；　grimly。
  〃Well；　it　is　a　dog's　trick；〃　said　Maitland　wrathfully；　〃to　get　on
  to　a　chap　before　a　big　match　like　this。〃
  In　the　Union　Committee　rooms　a　group　of　men　were　awaiting　them；
  among　them　Mr。　Wigglesworth　and　the　little　cockney　who　had　made
  himself　so　obnoxious　at　the　public　meeting。
  〃What's　all　this　tomfoolery；　Wigglesworth？〃　demanded　Captain　Jack；
  striding　in　among　them。
  〃（H）excuse　me；〃　said　the　little　cockney。　　〃You　are　a　member　of　the
  Woodworkers'　Union　I　（h）understand。〃
  〃Who　the　devil　are　you；　may　I　ask？〃　said　Maitland　in　a　rage。
  〃（H）allow　me；〃　said　Mr。　Wigglesworth。　　〃Mister　Simmons；　Mr。
  MaitlandMr。　Simmons　is　our　new　secretary；　（h）elected　last
  meetin'。〃
  〃Well；　what　do　you　want　of　me？〃　demanded　Maitland。　　〃Don't　you　know
  I　am　tied　up　this　afternoon？〃
  〃Tied　（h）up？〃　asked　Simmons　coolly；　〃'ow？〃
  〃With　the　match；　confound　you。〃
  〃Oh；　the　match！　　And　w'at　match　may　that　be？　　（H）Anythin'　to　do
  with　your　Union？〃
  Maitland　glared　at　him；　too　dumfounded　to　speak。
  〃You　see；　Mr。　Maitland；〃　began　Mr。　Wigglesworth　in　a　hurried　and
  apologetic　manner。
  〃'Ere！　you　keep　aht　o'　this；〃　said　Simmons　sharply；　〃this　'ere's　my
  job。　　I　shall　tell　Brother　Maitland　all　that　is　necessary。〃
  〃I　was　only　going　to　（h）explain〃　began　Mr。　Wigglesworth